Nightmares
by cathTZHGPK7197
Summary: After returning from the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta heal each other. Katniss is plagued by nightmare, Peeta's flashbacks have an incredible hold on him but can their love hold them together? Everlark
1. Chapter 1

Katniss POV:

_My braid whips me in the face as I turn my head while I run. The mutts are gaining on me, they are speeding towards me. Peeta sprints a foot in front of me. We thunder towards the Cornucopia, praying that the height will provide safety, refuge. I turn my head again, only to see the mutt with startlingly brown eyes hurtle towards me. As I see the knife in its collar, I realize its Clove. The mutt springs through the air at my face and I scream as her teeth meet my neck._

I sit up and a scream escapes my lips. Half a second later I feel his arms wrap around me, pulling me close. One hand goes to my back, rubbing a small circle through my shirt. I bury my face in his chest, letting the steady beat of his heart lull my sobs to shuddering, tear filled sighs. I feel his lips move on top of my head,

"Shh, I've got you. You're safe. It's ok." I whimper and his thumb brushes against my cheek, wiping away the tears. I burrow deeper into his chest, wrapping my arms around him as my tears begin to subside. He kisses the top of my head, his breath disturbing my hair. I turn my tear soaked face up to his and he gently presses his lips to mine. I return the kiss, a familiar warmth spreading through me, the one from that kiss in the cave, the one from the kiss in the Quarter Quell. All thoughts of Clove, the Hunger Games, the pain that I endure when I sleep are gone. All my thoughts are of the boy with the bread. And I find his hand, intertwine my fingers with his. I break the kiss and wrap my arms around him. He kisses the scar on my forehead from where Clove threw the knife before I nestle my head in the crook of his neck. His head rests on top of mine, his breath brushing through my hair. I slowly slide back down so that I'm lying down again. He lays down next to me and I rest my head on his chest, almost imitating the familiar position from the cave, when he was injured. He continues to rub comforting circles on my back as I drift off. We lay there for while, in the quiet, and although I think that he has drifted off, I whisper, almost inaudibly, "Thank you". He tilts his chin to kiss the top of my head and pulls me closer. My eyes close and I drift off into a nightmare free sleep, Peeta slowly rubbing circles in my back until we are both asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Peeta POV:

The afternoon light shines through our kitchen window in Victors Village. I sketch quietly as Katniss quietly moves about the kitchen, humming bits and pieces of different songs. After a better nights sleep, Katniss seems happy and I smile to myself. All of the sudden, I am overcome with pain and I clench my fists as I hurtle back to the Capitol

_Johanna's screams bounce off the concrete walls and it's all I can do to not yell out to her. I hear the Peacemakers' shouts, insults, as they land lash after last on her, demanding information on the Rebellion. She cries out with every whistle of the whip. Trapped in my cell, there is little I can do. Johanna's shrieks subside and my heart rate slows only to quicken when I realize that it's my turn next._ _I brace myself as the Peacemakers unlock the door to my tiny cell, holding a whip dripping in what only can be Johanna's blood. They kick me and spit on me until I'm standing with my face to the wall. One Peacemaker has his face right next to mine, "The Hunger Games seem so easy now, don't they?" I don't answer. Mistake. The Peacemaker makes a small cut in my back, "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE REBELLION?" I speak, praying my voice doesn't tremble, "Nothing, sir. I know nothing" His foul breath stings my eyes, "Liar!" The whip whistles down and I bite my lip to prevent from crying out. I clench my fists against the wall._

As quick as it came, the pain, the flashbacks disappear. In its place, there is a lack of ability to stand, a feeling of absolute emptiness. I am a shell and I grasp the counter to stay balanced. Katniss is immediately at my side, her arms wrapped around me, her cheek resting on my chest, murmuring words of comfort. As the flashback effects begin to subside, I find the strength to wrap my arms around her, her body becomes my life line. She whispers from somewhere in my chest, "Do you need to talk about it?" I shake my head, whisper, "No" into her hair. She tilts her chin up, tears streaming down her face,

"I'm so sorry, Peeta. I really am. If I hadn't lost sight of you in the arena, if I hadn't taken my eyes off you, you would never have to clench the table, you would never have to feel like you'll lose control. I'm so so sorry." She breaks down and sobs rack her body. Forcing myself not to cry, I tighten my grip on her, thinking about all the things I could say to her.

I finally choose, "Katniss. It's never your fault. It never will be. If anything, you've helped me. Just like I help you. We heal each other." She smiles through her tears and presses her forehead to mine. I cup her cheek gently and kiss her. She responds hungrily, and as our mouths move in perfect sync, our kiss tastes of her tears, but also of hope. Hope that we will be able to move on. She pushes her body against mine, because even with little space between us, we aren't close enough for comfort. Breaking the kiss, she hugs me tighter than ever. I lean down the little bit that seperates us in height and whisper in her ear,

"You love me. Real or not real?" Katniss looks up at me with a smile that spreads her whole face and I know the answer before it comes,

"Real."


	3. Chapter 3

Katniss POV

Peeta and I are in the bakery. I sit, restringing my bow as he kneads dough into mounds of bread. We've been sitting in silence for a while and I look up at him. He glances up and smiles. Just a small smile, but it makes my heart melt anyways. I yawn, exhausted from last night's set of nightmares. It took longer to get back to sleep then normal because I dreamed of Peeta instead of Rue or Prim. I was plunged into those torturous months when he thought I was a mutt, when he almost strangled me; he was so messed up by the Capitol. I awoke screaming more than once last night and Peeta spent a good five hours awake as well, trying to comfort me. He looks completely worn out as well but he keeps working, he doesn't ever make me feel guilty about waking him up. I close my eyes for a second and when I open them, Peeta has put down the dough that he's been kneading,

"Come here." Those two words have me up in a second. He envelopes me in his arms and I wrap mine around his torso. I stay still for a minute before pulling back. I smile at him and look at the spread on the table.

"Want to learn how?" I quickly nod. Peeta hand me a piece of dough and begins to show me how to knead the bread. I make a completely pathetic attempt as Peeta stifles a laugh. I shoot him a fake glare, "Stop laughing at me!" That makes him laugh harder, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He hugs me. I wrap one arm around him and feel behind me with the other. My hand closes on the flour and I step back, "This… is for laughing at me!" I fling the flour at him. It lands in his hair, coats his eyelashes and covers his grey shirt. Peeta's mouth opens and closes. He just stands there, looking completely appalled. I never do stuff like this. I'm normally quiet. "I so want throw flour back at you, but I am clearly the more mature one in this situation. However, that is not going to stop me." I quickly duck behind the table as Peeta's cloud of flour showers my hair, making me look like I just got snowed on. I laugh and scoop up some in my hands and blow it at him. He closes his eyes and sneezes as it makes contact with his face. I laugh even more. Peeta shakes his head, "Katniss, Katniss, Katniss. What to do… what to do…" He brushes his hands of on his apron and I see an idea light up in his eyes. I look at his flour-covered apron and then up at him. Oh no. Peeta quickly captures me in his arms, flour covering my black clothes. I slowly raise my head, completely unamused. He laughs at my furious expression, stepping back a bit. I clench my fist and look down at my white shirt. I catch glimpse of myself in the window. I have flour all over me. I shake my head and laugh. I laugh and laugh until tears are running down my face. I haven't laughed this hard in the years since the Hunger Games. I laugh until I can't breath and only then can I catch my breath and see Peeta standing in front of me still, one eyebrow raised, looking like he's just stepped out of a blizzard. I hug him, still laughing,

"Thank you"


End file.
